Hidden Mist
by Moonlight Memories
Summary: I couldn't remember who I was and where I came from.I don't know what I am or what I might become.How can you have faith in me when even I don't have faith in myself?
1. Chapter 1

This is a stress relief fic, but do enjoy.(It's my first attempt at Adventure Quest, but do go on.)

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_Her eyelids grew heavy. She was tired. In her mind, silver butterflies fluttered about beautifully. Their wings were embedded with precious stones. Flowers grew everywhere. They were fragrant. Rose petals floated around the garden with no boundaries. Each petal was made out of the finest crystal. Beauty was the essence of it, yet the beauty seemed so artificial. It was the Crystal Garden, the one she had grown up in._

_She was surprised to feel wet droplets fall down my skin. She hadn't cried in forever. She missed it. Them. Everything. Yet she could no longer return, being what she was. Beside her, an ice vampragon stirred. It was young, but it would grow._

_Her unnaturally white skin glowed eerily. To her, it's colour was horribly accentuated by the light of the moon. Once again she was reminded of what she once was and what she would soon become. Her own father was hunting her. She promised herself that she would escape, and she had. She hated what she would soon become. No, she knew she must find the elusive cure._

_She would have to journey into the blood-red cave. It was fine; anything would be better than being a Werepyre. Even death was better than the maniacal beast. Her heart still held the merest of hopes. After camping for five nights, she would finally be able to enter the cave._

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She entered it. The ice vampragon made a noise, almost soothingly. She smiled. They had been inseparable since they met .Then she knew only the barest magic skills, but now she was rather adept. As much as I she'd ever be. Her mother always did tell her she had an affinity with magic. Taking the left path first, she started walking..._

_She had been walking for hours now, fought so many monsters. Ahead, she saw the crossroad yet again. She didn't even bother which path she took now, her head was spinning. She saw liquid and took a drink, not caring if it would kill._

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Waking up: 

Where am I? This isn't home. Wait. Where is home? I don't ... remember! But why? What happened? The past years of my life seemed to have completely disappeared. Tears fell down my face. I was so scared. I walked down a staircase.

"Hey. You feeling better?" a cheerful voice rang out. I just couldn't remember anything. Just couldn't. A light blue, almost white creature settled beside me. A vampragon, I realised. It made a vibrating sound and I smiled. I knew it would not harm me.

"You were found outside the cave that's red as blood, near the fabled cure. My name is Yulgar, and this is Battleon, in case you didn't know!" I smiled weakly. Battleon? That was ages away from Frostvale! I knew I had to get there. How, though? Gritting my teeth, I decided to get to Frostvale, by hook or by crook.

"Hey. Are you fine now?" I turned and saw a paladin. He wore a silver armor with some gold streaks. Typical, I guess. The gold axe behind him glinted in the sun, and with that all the light was focused on it. I looked at him but couldn't place him even though he sounded as if he knew me.

"You are?" I asked. I felt embarrassed since he obviously knew me but I didn't know him.

"My name's Artix. Artix Von Krieger. I'm the one who brought you here. In effect, I brought you here and healed you, but Warlic was the one who sensed your danger. " His reward for talking was a hesitant nod and a soft thanks. However, I got a little curious. Warlic, the name seemed familiar. Perhaps he could help me. He... there had to be a way. Cautiously, my voice guarded, I asked my first question.

"Who's Warlic?" His eyes twinkled with laughter, seemingly amused. Looking towards one of the shop houses, he led me to it.

"Warlic, the young girl has awakened." he said. His voice took on a serious tone but his eyes revealed just how happy he was. Perhaps they were friends, family, or even lovers. Stranger things have happened. Perhaps he was just an optimist. After all, he hadn't stopped smiling, from the time we talked all the way until now.Was I reading too much into it? Someone walked towards the door.He was dressed in the robes of an archmage, his robes ridiculously elaborate. He looked at us, his face impassive, almost stone-cold. However, his lavender eyes spoke of an untold sadness. He looked at me, then seemed to dismiss me from his thoughts. I looked at him too. So this was Warlic.

"You're fine now" he said, as if in answer to my unspoken fear.

"You...know?" All I remembered was my intense fear of being a Werepyre. He nodded, and nothing showed on his face. Artix, though. He was asking about what we were talking about. I smiled, pleased to have his full attention. Artix was sweet. I don't know why, but I was born to be noticed. I looked at my hands, which were positively glowing with magic. Artix didn't really notice. Warlic was experimenting with some magical ingredients.

"Artix, do you..." he began, then, obviously noticing my hands, his eyes widened and he stared at them, almost in a wonder.

"Your hands..." I wasn't sure what to take it as, but I lifted my hands to show him, fear written on my face.

"No, don't worry, I just think... you should train as a mage here." he said, in response to my fear. To my surprise, Artix agreed with him, telling me to out off my search for identity. I sighed, but did as they asked.

Later, I talked to Artix. He said that although still quite young, Warlic was considered one of the mightiest magicians in lore(1). When I asked how young, his answer surprised me. I settled into bed. It was as if sleep was spooned into me and I fell asleep.

It was afternoon when I woke.

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(1)I didn't make this up. Create a new character and train it as a mage.When he's done talking about the tower, click on his face. I happened to stumble upon it. 


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up. The night was cold and dark, though I knew how grateful I should be that I wasn't in the even colder, even darker forests of Darkovia. Strange things were happening; somehow the night seemed evil, mocking, even. Instead of the quiet that the night often assumes, it was taunting her. Why didn't she go? Who was she? Her chance was probably lost forever, whispered the wind. The night made no attempt to hide it's imposing force. I felt uneasy, yet helpless. Snow, what I had come to name my ice vampragon, detected this and shivered, ever so slightly, against my skin. It never felt cold, it's element being ice, and that was how I knew it was frightened. Coward! screamed the cold breath of night air that rushed to meet my face. Without identity, you're nothing

I forced myself to dismiss it as my imagination. Perhaps I was worrying too much. I closed my eyes. Day would be able to reveal what night attempts to hide.

The sun's bright rays fell upon my face, shining directly into sleep-clogged eyes. Its brightness was dazzling; too different from the silent darkness that Darkovia held. I couldn't remember what drove me to Darkovia, but was thankful nonetheless that I had escaped whatever lay in store for me.

I walked down the steps again. Yulgar smiled. "Nice to see that you haven't left yet, adventurer." I smiled.

"I'm glad to be here, though... I just wish I remembered who I am. It's nothing, you know, just that I feel I should know but I don't...and..." I had started out cool, but I was rambling. Yulgar looked sympathetic and said something about finding our true selves never being easy. He also said to talk to the other guests. Hence, I started exploring.

It's kinda like a book with so many pages you can't tell when you will ever finish reading it. I walked around. Firstly,I met Blackhawk,the fighter. He seemed friendly enough, but I could never see his eyes, they were a mass of black. That was creepy and an effective barrier from me. Next, I saw Aquella,the water elf. She was kind of pretty in a way, but I could tell she'd rather be more powerful. It was just the way elves wish they could do this or that. Of course, there was the blind sage, Uldor.He was content, I noticed, with his life. His advice, it seemed, worked wonders. I suppose... one has to give up something in return for another.

I walked out. I felt the full force of the sun. I smiled. At least I can stay in the sun and not melt, I thought. I have a lot to be thankful for.

An orange moglin looked at me, confusion written on it's sweet face. I soon learned that he was called Twilly. I also visited Aria. She had the gift of taming animals, I thought. No wonder Hans liked her so much... but she didn't seem to return his feelings.Valencia the treasure hunter was also interesting and had a lot to offer. The positive vibes just oozed off the place.

I stopped to wonder about the place of my birth. Was it as beautiful as this? As friendly as this? As vibrant as this? I thought also about the people here. Did I know as many people? What was I able to do? Even if it was better in all it's ways...could I...could I ever... return? Would I bear being away from here?

"A penny for your thoughts." I looked behind. I was sitting down on a rock. My eyes were cast downwards and I was idly fiddling with a stick.

"Come on, Kasumi, a penny for them. "I looked at him. Artix smiled indulgently, almost willing me to be as happy as he was. I studied his face for a moment; His bronze skin, chocolate-brown eyes and hair of the same colour. Not forgetting his sweet smile. This seemed to make him very uncomfortable as he squirmed.

"I was just...thinking... where was I born? How is my home like? Is it as beautiful as this? More beautiful? Or less? As vibrant? I wish I knew." ,I whispered, my voice receding with each word I spoke. At that moment, I truly felt weak. Valencia must have noticed this, for she walked over to us.

"Sweetie, not every single thing that we want is easily obtainable. Especially the ones that we really want, those are the most difficult to obtain. But as long as we're patient and keep to what we know is true, one day, when we least expect it, we will receive it. Until then, we just have to wait." Although she faced me, she didn't see me. She seemed to be looking into somewhere she and she alone could see. Her eyes were no longer filled with the playful flirtatiousness' she held everyone with. At that moment, those eyes were filled with knowledge and wisdom that people seemed to lack.

Artix listened, and nodded. I whispered out a thanks and promised myself that I would try to gather some items that could be used to see into the past. I could use the black cauldron that no one uses, the one in the forest. Of course, that also meant that I would not disturb Blackhawk and Robina. Frankly, I didn't think this couple would last that long. They both had their sights set on 'someone else' and it was painfully obvious to most people. Well, obvious to everyone but the people they had set their sights on. Unfortunately. But enough of that. I know I have to get a Cyclop's eye and a plasma dragon's horn.

I'll have to start on that tomorrow. I know Warlic said to stay here, but... there are some things that I just have to do.

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Kasumi means mist in Japanese 

Well, hope you liked!


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thanks TSOH, for reviewing all the chapters so far.Oh, and you guys, this didn't say romance for nothing, it'll just take a but more time? Cause I like taking my time and before you know it, I've rushed to the dead of the heart. Though you can help and tell me who you think she may be with.

Another thing: I've also noticed I haven't done disclaimers. Ah well:

Disclaimers: I do not own AdventureQuest or any objects/quests in the game.(except a mage guardian character. Which technically is still tied, hand and leg, to the game. )

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Where in the world would I find a plasma dragon? Without being destroyed, that is. Well, I guess I could go to the Augerthorne, I've heard that they sometimes appear there. At the crack of dawn, I leave Yulgar's inn and creep away successfully.

"Where do you think you're going? What have I told you? It's dangerous! It's lucky Artix saw you!" Ok, maybe _not_ so successful. I turned around and saw Warlic, fuming. Great, and now you tell me that the guy has such a capacity for anger? I blushed and fiddled with my hands. I hadn't seen that oh-so-great captain of the paladins, and I was not so sure I wanted to, especially after today.

"Look, if I thought that would help you, I wouldn't have spared any cost or effort to help you obtain the items and work the spell, but it wouldn't. Trust me." He looked apologetic for bursting out. He also looked sincere. I smiled softly and nodded. He then grabbed my hand and I noticed we were going into his shop.

I don't think he noticed how I blushed. He showed me, he had the items, and that he wanted to help me. As I watched the swirls, I noticed that it resembled a lot like me. My mind plunged into those depths.

_Flashback_

_" I don't know if you realise this, Destiny, but you have no say in the matter at all. You must marry Lord Relhert whether you like it or not"_

_"I guess I'll call you Snow, you're probably the only thing that hasn't run away from me, even if you're a vampragon, I'm going to find a cure, I only need your companionship. Iknow you'll stay with me, won't you?"_

_"Look where running away has got you. You were a noble lady, now you will be a creature of the night. I will destroy you with my hands if it is the last thing I do!"_

_"Thank you! Snow, if it wasn't for you, Father would have killed me."_

Slowly, I remembered everything that had happened. I no longer wanted to go back to that place which was devoid of love and companionship. I wondered how I could have lived there in the first place, but I couldn't do so anymore. I looked at Warlic; apologetic at insisting and finding out only to see that what I wanted was greatly flawed. He looked guilty, though.

"I never knew you had so much to go back to. I'm sorry." He mutters, softly. I look at him, incredulous.

"You kidding me? _I_ never knew that the world I was so desperate to remember was so cold and unfeeling, so devoid of life and happiness, so devoid of any emotion. I'm _definitely_ going to stay. Too bad if your intent was to make me leave." I said. He smiled gratefully. His smile was sweet and I couldn't help adding,

"I wish you would smile more often. It's so sweet." Realizing what I just said, I quickly attempted to correct myself.

"No, it's ok, I understand what you mean" he says, though he blushed a little. I smiled. I guess... we were friends now. At least, I certainly hoped so, from the bottom of my heart. I was getting to knopw him, to see beyond the pain, and I certainly loved what I saw.

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See! Just a touch of romance. Though bear in mind this might not be the eventual pairing, Until then! 


	4. Chapter 4

AN:Please do review!!!

Disclaimers: I do not own AdventureQuest or any objects/quests in the game.(Otherwise, the characters would have better developed love lives)

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All right, I admit it.I like the guy. He's kind of cute, even if he's so quiet.Even if his eyes suddenly go cold sometimes.Warlic, that is.Why? Well, I don't quite know, actually.How he cares, I suppose.No one ever cares anymore. About me, anyway. I mean, yeah, Artix is willing to be a friend, but that's not what I need right now. I want the love that Blackhawk has for Aria, the very same that Robina has for Valencia.The kind of love that makes you do crazy things for another person.

Maybe I'm not 'allowed' that kind of love yet.My father... I still remember him. I believe that, in a way, he still loves me despite neglecting me. He was sort of busy. About the killing me thing, I was a creature of the night then, he needed to protect his people. Just like how I have to protect my present life.

"Kasumi!uh... I mean...Destiny!"Artix yelled.

"Artix, it's Kasumi. I'm not Destiny any longer. Besides, I like the name I picked out myself.Did Warlic tell you my real name?"I said, glaring at him. He looked anxious, something that could never be said about him."Uh...Artix?"

"Kasumi, fine. Your parents, your father, actually, he's here to reclaim you.After we said you were no longer a vampire, he insisted on taking you back. You won't go, please.You won't, would you?"He looked even more anxious, and I knew that he was speaking the truth. I looked at him in the eyes.

"Never.Will.I.Go.Back.To.That.Hellhole.You can set your mind at ease about THAT."I said.Determination and resolve filled those words.I watched him smile a little. It was his mischeivious smile.

"Come on, let's see Warlic, I've got a plan to get you off them."

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Artix motioned for me to sit.He and Warlic were both seated.I nodded and sank to the floor.

"My plan is simple, really. You two will have to be married."I looked at him incredulously, and I heard a loud "What?" from Warlic. Artixquickly changed his choice of words.

"I mean, just for show. You guys have to pretend that she married Warlic while she's here, since she has no recollection of her past life. After all, he only wants you back so he can marry you off to Lord what's-his-name, right?"I smiled.

"Lord Relhert.Though I'm not sure about the marriage thing, one thing is for sure;I would much rather marry Warlic then Peterayne Relhert.I mean, that guy is so old. My youth would be wasted for good!"Artix gave that enigmatic smile that usually had all the girls swarming."Warlic, please?I know Artix likes someone else so he wouldn't do it, but please, if you have no one in mind, would you help me?"

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Warlic: 

I looked at her, her eyes begging so hard,I had to let her have her way.

"I do have someone in mind"I said.Her face fell."But... I can still help you even if I did, couldn't I?"She smiled shakily and murmured a thanks.She didn't seem happy all the same.Silly girl, the one I had in mind was her,but I couldn't bring myself to tell her, at least not with Artix around.

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Her father walked in.

I saw a look of adoration in her eyes as I asked her father what he wanted. That look made me wish it were real and not just a show.She was good at acting, all right.

"I came here to look for my daughter!"Haughty nobles.

"Your daughter?I'm afraid I don't understand.Would you mind explaining?"I asked.

"Don't play innocenty with me. I want to collect Destiny.The girl's been missing for a while.I want her back, she is my daughter."the man who strode in said.

"Kasumi, honey,do you know anyone called Destiny around here?"I was surprised at how easily the endearment rolled off my lips. It felt almost natural.As if she was really my wife, and I had been calling her that for a while.She shook her head."I'm afraid my wife and I don't know anyone by that name, sir."

"Kasumi?Your wife? She's my daughter,Destiny.You had better return her..."There was an unspoken threat in his voice.

"Sir, Kasumi is indeed the wife of the blue mage,Warlic.Why, I was among the masses who attended their grand wedding!"Artix cut in.He shut his eyes, as if remembering a beautiful memory.By this time, that man looked utterly convinced that we were husband and wife.

"But...she's Destiny!"

"Kasumi has indeed lost her memories.However, I can assure you, sir, that she is indeed my wife in the eyes of the law.For that reason alone, I can persecute you if you try to take her away by force.If you _can_ take her away from me." I didn't know where my cold words all confidence in this lie came from, only that I was glad.


	5. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Final Chapter, and no, I still don't own. Isn't that sad? Pwetty please will someone give it to me???

A/N: Take it as I'm lazy or too busy, but this is my(incredibly short) last chapter. Please do enjopy.

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Kasumi:

That was… good. I doubted that he'd ever be back. I just hugged Warlic, who had a very cute blush blossoming on his face. "Thanks" I murmured.

"I'll never let anything hurt you. Trust me." ,was his whispered reply. I knew he meant it. He was just that kind of person. I knew I'd always be safe with him. He'd protect me, keep me safe. He promised… I knew he would keep his promise.

I almost forgot Artix was watching. Apparently, so did Warlic. Artix only grinned his trademark grin as he said, "Well, I'll leave you guys alone for your 'bonding time', alright?" I only gave him this look that assured him that I would kill him as soon as I had the chance. Artix, I realized, had set us up with one another. Not that I minded very much.

Suddenly, I realized that I was still in Warlic's embrace. Subtly, I tried to move away, but he only whispered, "I'm never going to let you go."

I didn't want to move either… I felt so warm and comfortable. Closing my eyes, I whispered in return, "And I'm never going to let you let me go."

A pause.

"We'd better make sure your father doesn't find out we're lying, hadn't we?" I pondered over the meaning of his words. How I wished he didn't talk in riddles all the time.

"How do you propose we do that?"

"Just in case he finds out… would you marry me?" I smiled and nodded. Yes, of course I would. My heart and soul were already his anyway.

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A/N:Incredibly short epilogue. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. 


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